In accordance with the measures announced on Monday, April 27 by the Minister of Health, Daniel Salas, the reactivation, although minimal, of economic activities will be allowed, on a trial basis, from 5:00 pm May 1 to 11:59 pm May 15.
This is the first test to determine the behavior of the public if there is compliance with the requirements of hygiene and social distancing and if in two weeks there will be more easing of measures or go back to stricter measures.
Note that Friday, May 1, is a public holiday in Costa Rica. And although many businesses can stay open for the first time since the national emergency began, some or many may not in observance of the national holiday
Economic activities from Monday to Sunday without time restrictions:
- Home delivery (express) services.
- Rent-a-cars agencies only for the purpose of providing assistance services to already rented vehicles, as well as the reception of returned vehicles.
- Bicycle rentals.
- Gasoline stations.
- Community waste collection services.
- Public and private health facilities (clinics, pharmacies, hospitals, laboratories, doctor’s offices, diagnostic radiology services, emergency services, optical, macrobiotic, among others), and veterinary clinics.
- Health services in mobile units complying with the provisions of Executive Decree No. 41045-S.
- Public, private and mixed Comprehensive Care Centers (CAI).
- Care centers for people in vulnerable conditions.
- Public parking lots.
Will be able to operate from Monday to Sunday without time restriction, but behind closed doors:
- Theaters (except the Melico Salazar and Teatro Nacional) cinemas, churches, municipal council sessions, district councils, meetings of commissions and transfers of powers to municipal councils and mayors, with the minimum personnel required for the development of virtual broadcasts, with strict compliance with the preventive protocols and guidelines issued by the Ministry of Health.
Able to operate from Monday to Sunday without time restriction with an occupancy capacity of 50%:
- Farmer’s markets.
- Grocery stores, supermarkets, mini-supermarkets, bakeries, butchers, greengrocers and the like.
- Sale of agricultural, livestock, aquaculture and fishing products.
- Sale of agricultural, veterinary and animal feed supplies.
- Sale of hygiene supplies.
- Sale of spare parts and accessories for vehicles, motors, bicycles, agricultural equipment, machinery and heavy and industrial equipment.
- Repair of motor vehicles, motorcycles, tires, and workshops for bicycles, agricultural equipment, machinery and heavy and industrial equipment.
- Lubri centers.
- Car washes (lavacar).
- RTV)\.
- Beauty salons, barbershops and aesthetics.
- Grooming salons for pets.
- Municipal management platforms.
- Public or private banking and financial services.
- Funeral homes and / or wake chapels.
- The institutions that, due to the nature of their functions, must remain open, such as the State agencies such as immigration, customs, phytosanitary services, land, sea and air border posts, among others.
- All those other establishments with sanitary operating permits that do not provide face-to-face attention to the public.
In the case of hotels, cabinas or other accommodation, only those that provide accommodation to:
- Foreign tourists who are already in the country.
- Flight crews or cases of special services.
- Long-stay tourists or residents of the hotel.
- Provide accommodation services to public administration officials or public service providers (banking, transportation of values, communications, electricity), or in the case of people who are working in the distribution service of merchandise or food items and first-class need, medicines, agricultural or veterinary supplies.
- Provide services to embassies.
Can be open for business from Monday to Sunday from 5 am at 7 pm
- Foor drive-thru windows and pick up.
Can be open for business from Monday to Friday from 5 am at 7 pm
- Cinemas and theaters (with measures of separation of seats of minimum 1, 8 meters between each person and electronic reservation).
- Short-stay accommodation activities (motels).
Will be able to operate from Monday to Friday from 5 am at 7 pm with an occupancy capacity of 50%:
- Restaurants (businesses with Bar and Restaurant patents will only be allowed to operate the restaurant area with alcoholic beverages dispenser as long as they have an occupancy capacity of fifty percent (50%).
- Food trucks and food courts.
- Public service offices with customer service.
- Call centers.
- Livestock auctions.
- Shooting ranges.
Can operate from Monday to Friday from 5 am at 7m, with an occupancy capacity of 25%:
- Establishments for contactless sports practice or training.
- Gyms with appointment scheduling and different hours for people with risk factors.
To calculate the capacity at 50% and 25% of the maximum capacity of the establishment, it will be done in accordance with the following parameters:
- In accordance with the maximum capacity established in the sanitary operating permit. Said maximum capacity includes workers and occupants.
- Must guarantee to keep a space of 1.8 meters between each person inside the establishment and on the sidewalks before entering.
- In case the users of the service have to wait to be entered to the premises, they should be organized in rows in which the recommended safety distance is applied.
- Regarding the spaces of no access to the public, the provisions of the “General Guidelines for owners and administrators of Work Centers for Coronavirus (COVID-19)” should be applied.
- In addition to what is stated regarding the capacity, establishments must guarantee compliance with the general guidelines according to the type of care they provide.
For the complete AND official list of what businesses can be open and their hours, visit the Ministerio de Salud website.
Download the Ministry of Health resolution MS-DM-3845-2020.
